Dune Bashing

Coming back to the actual trip:

We set off (we meaning, Biju, Zeyad, Abdallah and I) from the Mina Port after getting the out clearance from the port authority. (Yes, this is a must so carry your passports). The boat belonged to two of my adventure loving friends Z and A, keen boatmen and fishermen and the sort you want along on the high seas, just in case calamity occurs.

Nearly ten nautical miles into the sea we passed by several deserted rigs. I mean, they stand like there like some lost remains of a once thriving past. If you let your imagination run wild, you can come close to calling it "spooky" and imagine yourself climbing those steel columns while the waves hit againt the creaking pillars.

We skirted the rig and went our way. In these areas, the catch is fabulous. The boat, powered by 2 powerful 1500cc engines cut over the waters easily. Abdulla at the helm leaves nothing to be desired. He is a fabulous boatman and one would think he was born to be on the sea!

Did I mention that Abdulla and Zeyad are collegues and friends? Hard to believe they tinker with aircafts while not conquering the waves!

Try not to get too close to the rig though! The trip could become treacherous if the offshore swell exceeds, testing human endurance and the lashing waves that picks up due to heavy winds can become tricky.

The best time to do this, is by 2pm and get back in by late night (about 9pm).

Be prepared: The catch can sometimes be over-whelming, meaning, you may hook more than you have bargained for!

Fishing is not all fun, if you know what I mean.



(That's me and Biju_ he is always around for these things, trust me)

First, you must be prepared to return empty handed which itself is a fierce contender against setting off in the first place. The sea is not always friendly to first timers, throwing up surprises and tricking you into believing the worst about this rather harmless activity_ well, almost harmless. Imagine that you are leaning over hopeful of reeling in a catch and voila, you have hooked a shark much stronger than you are and in you go with a splash trying to save your hook! But these little incidents aside (chances are that it may never happen for sharks are not easy to hook on fish hook), it is good fun really. Around UAE there is a whole of sea you can venture into, in a boat, yacht or such like, depending on the kind of speed and reliability you are looking for.

It is good to be under the hot Dubai sun no doubt, but it would be wise if you kept the head covered, the sun and the salt air combined can be disastrous to the body. Equip yourself with plenty of water to keep away dehydration.

There is plenty of fish in the sea, as the saying goes, but the chances of finding one when you really want to can be quite challenging. All fun, though, we are not fishermen looking to make a living, we are just fun seekers-on- the-sea and if a fish did bit, well, good for us_if they didnt, well good for them! What say?

We did manage to hook a few though!!

(How you cover your head is entirely up to you_ this one on my head is quite handy and comfy!!)



(Staring long and hard into the waters can be quite theraupatic too!)

Watch this space for stories from my fishing trip. Cant say that I have been inactive! Lot of fun stuff happening, no doubt!

Late, but nevertheless back_ and this time with more than just tips on bashing dunes! Well, as you can see in the pictures, this out of the world place is Nelliyampathy, a truly wonderful spot near Palakakd, Kerala. The trick is to find the right transport, Jeep Mahindra or the Scorpio being a sound choice. (Add a stout stick, couple of daredevil mates, food and water_ unless your idea of walking the God's earth is for the search of water), torch, stout ropes, and such like!

The drive is long and hard, through thick forests and winding ghat roads, but the spot itself is delightful. The rocky outcroppings are a temptation to sit, and you can very well do so, so long as you can balance yourself against the gusty winds that can otherwise send you flying.

(The specks you see in the pics is myself and my friend Biju. As you can see, the drop is deep and dangerous)



We did just that_ the four of us. All, adventure seekers, looking for a bit of fun while in India. The sands of Arabia are great, but the charm of wandering through cloud-kissed forests cannot be ignored, right?

We did a bit of camping out as well, more in the hope of seeing the big cat we heard was a common sight in the region. We did hear a bit of a growl, but the cat eluded us completely.

But if you persist, you may get lucky.

There are plenty of trekking options here and the best being a walk to the top of the various peak dotting the hill range.

How to get there: About 75-km thrill-drive away from dusty Palakkad is this beautiful hill range, cool and welcoming the adventurous. Take you pick of the many peaks you can get to or drive up. But if you want to stay on, it is wise to first consult the forest department.

To all enthusiasts!!

Allow me to say how hard it is on all of us dune bashers, whose primary focus in life is demolishing dunes, that the summer has arrived depriving us of our life giving thrills!! You will agree that much outdoor activites has stopped. But, once a desert-addict, always a desert addict.

Who says you cannot bash dunes in summer? I do. Well, the trick is to keep ahead of the sun.
Begin early in the morning, like 5 am. The weather is simply rummy during that time and when you reach the desert, the sun is just about getting ready to cook the world!!

But of course, make sure you have plenty of water with you. Forewarned is forearmed. There is no saying what the heat can do. The AC cannot be kept running too long in case you get stuck, and you know why. The engine overheats.

An alternative to dune bashing or any outdoor adventure you think you are missing out, is canoeing. Not that is very popular but very interesting. Involves the use of both body and mind. An absolute must for an adventure enthusiast.

So guys, have a heart. Do not let the sun get the better of you!! Happy summer- dune bashing!!

Dubai has been seeing some rains. While that has brought cheer to many, it has also brought some relief to dune bashers, such as myself, for it has made driving on the dunes a lot easier.


That of course has its downsides as well, but the positives far outweigh the negatives.


First of all, driving on wet sand is easy because the outer layer of the dunes become firm. That means you dont need to deflate as much as you needed to earlier. It is a smooth ride with 20 psi as against 15 psi if the sand is soft and powdery. Now, that is something to be cheerful about, isnt it?


But then, there is not much fun driving over a dune that is almost like a slightly inclined road. No sliding or slipping and no reasons to struggle uphill... which is what desert driving is all about.


It is all the more fun when it rains. The visibility is drastically reduced while the wipers work overtime. The rains change the charecter of the desert bringing in new colour. The colour of freshness, the smell of water-soaked earth, the hazy hills in the far distance look like mountains of snow. Heck, rains are nature's greatest equalizers. They make one place look like another. Then there are the clouds to consider. After a desert shower, they look almost content enough to burst into a riot of colours having reduced the dusty dunes to tame, firm hills.


If you have a reason to be alone, then I would suggest a drive in the desert. The current weather is too good to last, so make the best of it. It is also good for the soul.


Try the Fossil Rock. Here the sand is deep red. With the rains it takes on a deeper hue. Wonderful to feel it too.

But hey watch out for the sand that does stick to your shoes. It is hard to come off.

Just in case everyone is wondering where the dunebasher has gone away to, do not fear. The deserts have not swallowed me yet!! I have merely been hiding away in my garage learning welding. A handy occupation I must add, for who knows when one would need the expertise of a welder!!

I have just learnt that, for a start, welding is not just sticking two things together :-)

Anyway, more on that later. In the meantime check this one out as well.

breezingthru.blogspirit.com

This is like a roller coaster ride, only there are no rails or trails, as you may want to call it. It is plain and simple fun. At the end of one such adventure in the vast Arabian Desert you may even come to refer to it as a national sport and still be right. All you need to do is make up your mind and your stomach (going as far as the ……) and step into the Land Cruisers Dubai is famous for.

Once on the dunes, which you arrive after a short ride through the bustling city traffic, there is no going back. The fun begins right when the monster 4X4 first deflates before heading to the sands. There is nothing really to worry about, the drivers are experienced and even hold special licenses to do the job…and are pretty good at it too.

Nothing can compare with the adrenaline rush you will experience when you are atop the highest dune and stare down the vertical drop with the Land Cruiser precariously balanced half way over the edge. But that is the driver playing games. All you have to do is to think about the soft sands under the wheels and remember that they have done a thousand times already. The friendly dune-bashers are just having their fun seeing you nervous!!

Enjoy the miles and miles of golden sands stretched out in front of you. There are few places in the world that offer you such glimpses of the deserts with the gentle back drop of mountains from the air conditioned of a AC car!! Think about it.

Hello to all,

Life has been one roller coaster ride after another. There has been little time to write on the blog. What with the winter and all, people rushing to the dunes in large numbers to avoid the humdrum of the city. This rush usually keeps on till April and even May before the summer begins...after which deserts are living hell!! That is another thing altogather. Battling the desert in summer is an entirely different concept which I will address later.

In the meantime, taking a step away from dune bashing, I find that fishing is another popular sport. It is rather adventurous and is a group affair and you can come away with a decent catch as a reminder of the trip...and the fish lovers owuld defnitely appreciate a bite of 'their own fish'!!

Ah, Dubai is full of fun filled oppurtunities. Go on. Try some of them.

Desert roads are reputed to be fearsome. But is it true? Definitely. Compared to the average road, they are far less predictable and help is the last thing that comes along when something goes wrong. The one advantage being that you are safe from haphazardly moving speeding vehicles and no blind curves!!

I have faced many grim moments behind the wheels, especially when driving through the desert with a car full of people. Not many among them actually know how to change tyres!! So you see, the driver MUST be absolutely sure of his survival skills before risking the lives of many. Sometimes it can work on the mind, but the trick is to keep cool.

People make a common mistake: they are under the assumption that any road that is ‘walkable’ is ‘driveable.’ It is not usually so. Here in the middle of nowhere it is advisable to listen to the little voices in your mind. A split second decision can make a lot of difference, especially when you are on top of a very high dune and you look down straight into the valley below.

Exercising judgment is the only option. Do so.

Regardless of the vehicle you drive, it would be wrong to assume that you can drive a given desert track on a given date. A road that is passable by a low clearance car one week may be impassable by a four-wheel-drive pickup the next.

Equip your car

Carry some extra equipment in your car.

Carry a shovel, for sanitation and for high-centered vehicles. Make sure you have a good flashlight, and carry an extra spare tyre. Carry the spare-tire-in-a-can stuff that auto parts stores sell. A fire extinguisher can save your life, your car, and your desert.

Carry spare fan belts, hoses, hose clamps, and fuel filters. Baling wire, duct tape, old hangers, chewing gum, and rags can be used for repairs on mufflers and leaky oil and gas tanks. (Even if you can't fix what's wrong, there's always the chance that a competent person may drive by and install the spares you're carrying.)

Extra gallons of water and quarts of oil can keep you moving with leaking cooling and oiling systems. Keep your gas tank full.

And don't forget your good luck charm. Even good drivers in good vehicles need a little luck in the desert!

There are many dangers that can be calculated (like snakes etc). Be prepared. Skilled "desert-specialists" have got stcuk because they did not obey rules of the desert. If you plan well, obey rules and be careful enough, then the trip will be a great adventure.

It is really up to YOU.